Crystal Palace’s goalscoring woes have been an issue for quite some time now and it is easy to conclude that they would have clinched all three points from Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon if they had an established marksman leading the line.

Alan Pardew sold Glenn Murray back in 2015 and as he has banged in just one fewer Premier League goal than the entire Palace side have managed this season (seven versus eight), it is easy for Roy Hodgson to rue the former Eagles manager’s decision.

But after reaching the FA Cup final in 2016, Pardew also offloaded Dwight Gayle to Newcastle United, who have since loaned him to West Brom.

He has eight goals for the Baggies this season and while it is easy to sniff at a player scoring goals in the second tier, he has the nous in front of goal that Palace are sorely lacking.

(Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)

He scored eight, ten and seven goals for modest Palace sides in his three seasons at Selhurst Park and while those goal returns are not earth-shattering, they offer more than Christian Benteke did last season and what the frontline has coughed up this term.

With the pacy widemen serving up chances, Gayle would surely find the back of the net with the regularity Palace need to steer themselves out of trouble.